Darlene, Darlene, Darlene, Darle-ee-eene

I hope you sang the title to Dolly’s Jolene. That was the intent.

My mom had two cats, one being about 20 years-old. When it got injured recently, the decision was made to bid it a final farewell. She was a good companion, but Mom seemed content to go forward with just one cat.

Well, the cat gods were having none of that.

Only two days after the elder cat departed this world, I was driving Mom to an appointment and made a wrong turn. There, in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the road, in front of us was the tiniest Calico kitten I’d ever seen. So small that my mom, with her challenged vision, couldn’t see it initially.

I won’t finish the story, because you know how it ends. The veterinarian guessed it to be no more than four weeks old.

‍ Poppy

So, the conversation for the next couple of days became what name to give the new kitty. I came up with the perfect name: Darlene.

Mom wasn’t keen on it.

The vet loved it. The vet’s techs loved it. The vet’s desk ladies loved it. But Mom wouldn’t bite.

She eventually settled on Poppy, which I must admit I do like.

Fast forward a couple of weeks, and we have a new opportunity. A friend who lives on a farm has been brought a newborn little lamb.

The lamb has a gimpy leg and wasn’t keeping up with its sibling and the mama, and the owner knew my friend was a sucker for an orphan. He asked her to adopt it, and she did.

She texted me a picture.

Hope

“Do you have a name for her?” I asked.

She replied that her son had suggested ‘Hope’ as the name.

It was a good effort. The lamb was weak and the leg possibly broken and its owner was looking for a foster home. Hoping… it would get better. I get it.

But it’s a sissy name. A hippy name. Might as well name it Sunbeam. Or Flower.

Name it Darlene, I told her. That’s a good southern sheep name. I can even see a children’s book: Darlene The Smelly Ewe.

My friend won’t budge. She sticking with Hope.

Phooey.

My wife and I don’t have pets because we travel too much right now. But that will change in time, and I will have my Darlene. Darlene is not a dog name, so it will be a cat.

I’ll sing to it a lot.

🎵Darlene, I’m feeling pretty lonesome
I’d call you on the phone some
But I don’t have a dime.🎵

🎵You don’t have to call me Darlene, Darlene!
You never even called me by my name🎵

It’s gonna be awesome.